Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-13
ARCHIBALD MARTIN EXECUTED IN
NORTH CAROLINA.
History Of His Crime Meeting Of tho
state Board OF Agriculture
Other Notes.
Special telegram to tho Dispatch. ]

April. His victim was Henry Mcneil.
a negro man, whose house was not n
great distance from that OF Martin.
One night Mcneil was in the yard of
his house, when he was fired at, ut
close range, by n concealed assassin
and riddlcd with buckshot. Nearly the
entire top Of his head was blown Off
Evidence soon settled on Martin, who
confessed his crime to his wife and told
her he was melted by jealousy. His
wife Immediately gave evidence against
him, on the strength OF which he was
arrested. Upon being arrested Martin
made desperate effort to escape. He
was shot at five times, but was
not Init, and finally was run down
Tie scene of the murder was near Laurel
Hill. Richmond county, and Martin
was lodged in jail at Rockingham. The
trial was held in June and the jury
quickly rendered a verdict of guilty
there was no appeal, r0 attempt TO Sc
cure a new trial or a Communication Of
sentence. The murderer was in good
spirits during most of his stay in jail
lie was at first loud in his protestltions
of innocence and yet spoke freely Of
his execution. But in the past week a
change came. and he was very de
spOndcnt. lie was not inclined to
speak, but when he did so said his sen
tence was hight and made full confes-
sion of the crime. He said he had
crept up on Mcneil and shot him, and
that he committed the deed on account
of his (Martins) wife.
The place of execution was a couple
OF hundred yafds from the jail. 4
space twenty feet square was surrounded
by fence fifteen feet i'll height. The
sheriff and some twenty witnesses were
admitted. Great pressure was brought
to bear on the county commissioners TO
have the execution public, but they
declined to permit it to be other than
private.
THAT spECnL-TAx BoND "ARRANGE-
MENT.
The surprising GOODNESS Of Morton,
Bliss q Co., OF New York, and the
Union Trust Company, of the sane
city, in arranging for the payment
of the special-tax bonds OF North Caro-
lima is just beginning to impress the
general public. One of the highas,
State officials said to-day "The STATE
officers and the people of North Caro-
Ina have something to say about those
bonds. ! wonder how much those peO-
pie paid for these bonds? For some
not over > or 10 cents on the 500,
an sure. The State will never recDg.
nize these bonds, much less pay them.
] he people plainly declared their opin-
ion of them when they voted on the
Constitution, but if that is not enough
they will speak even more plainly"
PENSION APPLICATIONS.
Year before last and last year many
were received by the Board
of Pensions from widows whose hus-
bands died of disease contracted while
in service as soldiers of the State in the
late war. The law did not cover this
class of cases, and the applications
were held. The last Legislature eX-
tended the benefits of the law TO that
class of persons. Not only will the
new applications, hut the old ones also,
he included in this list, and the board
will consider all with special care.
There will be several hundred appli-
Cants. and of course large percentage
of the claims will be allowed. Year
before last the allowance WAS &li.75 t.
each pensioner, and last year Sll.l0
out of the $50, Geo annual appropria-
ton. Next time it will be still smlller,
of course, owing to the greater number
of pensioners.
TIE SURVEY or THE OYSTER WATERS.
The reports made to the Boarl oil
Agriculture show that Lieutenant
Winslow is making good progress in
his survey of North Cardinals oyster
waters. The Commissioner of Agri-
culture compliments it and says that
marked interest in it has been excited
among the people in the Piedmont see
ton. 1t is, Of course, new departure
and long step ahead for the State to
make. The office work is done here in
the Agricultural building. All other
work is done on the United States
coast survey schooner Scoresby.
THE FAIRS, &C.
Commissioner Robinson has made
inquiries officially as to the fairs to he
held this year lie says he is informed
in reply that five will be held-these
being at Raleigh, Tarboro, Goldsboro',
and Weldon. 1t is said
that the fair at Elizabeth City will be
held, but he is not so informed. Be-
sides these there is, of course, the coloreI
fair at Raleigh, which gets $500 from
the department, and is the only fair
under the new law which does SO re-
ceiye aid.
THE STATE EXPERIMENT FARM
is officially mentioned by Commissioner
who compliments Mr.. My
ron Whitney, who is in charge of it.
Mr.. Robinson says the farm is in fine
and a success. Visitors speak
Of it in high terms and say it il doing
good work.
NEWS NOTES.
Mr.. Willis II. Williams, master Of the
State Grange, officially calls the mem
bcrs Of that order to assemble at the
Mt. Holly Grange Encampment and
Farmers Institute He says great
numbers will attend and that many
from South Carolina are expected to be
present.
Rev. l.. r. Putt, who recently gradu-
nted at Wake-Forest College, has been
called to the pastorate of Baptist
churches in Hartford county.
The hghtship which was washed
ashore from Frying-Pan shoals has
been refitted, and is again in position.
Grapes are maturing well aud ship
ments have begun. Preparations are
made here for the shipment of 200,0J0
pounds.
STATE BOARD or AGRICULTURE.
The State Board of Agriculture met
this afternoon, Governor Scales pre-
siding and all its members present
Various reports were read. That OF
Mr.. Patrick, Commissioner of lmmi-
grafton, was specially valuable and
showed good results. He presented to
The board map of the new winter re-
sort, Avock, on Albemarle sound, given
by Dr. W. Il. Capehlrt. The board
,dOpted resolution regarding the